Piemonte Excellence Educational Tour A group of journalists, including myself from Pakistan Textile Journal, visited a selection of companies in the district of Biella, where entire Made in Italy textile production chain from to garments in the space of a few kilometers of territory was high- lighted. Leading companies in the Biellese territory such as Marchi&Fildi, Safil, and Filati were visited by interna- tional journalists as a part of the educational day. These interna- tional journalists representing Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain, China and Pakistan had a chance to see the Made in Italy textile chain. The Educational day project promotes the value of a complete textile chain, which is responsible for the production of top quality yarns and fibres. Amina Baqai, Ed.

The tradition of production in member companies are chosen according region is lucky enough to still have a Piemonte accounts for a number of to strict parameters of evaluation, such as strong and complete supply chain, which companies producing knitwear and the innovativeness of their products and starts from yarns, goes through fabrics to woven fabrics for winter clothing, in the solutions, experience and excellent finished garments. This is a areas around Biella, Novara and Torino. competitiveness, quality, project heritage of excellent manufacturing Biella’s textile district is one of the largest development, human resources potential savoir faire, enriched from generation to international centres for the wool industry and team work ability. The group generation, as one can see through famous for the production of fabrics represents all fields of production starting company stories that often weave made from wool and other precious fibres from yarns, fabrics, clothing, and together with family history of founders. (cashmere, alpaca and ). With an accessories, home , technical It is this treasure that makes us unique area of 914 square kilometers, Biella’s textiles and textile machinery. Piemonte and we are happy to welcome these district counts over 871 textile and Textile Excellence Team offer journalists who will take our message clothing production plants, employs matchmaking activities and ascertains abroad. For all these reasons my 11,060 people and in 2013 exported international needs and suggests suitable department and the entire Regione goods for the value of 1,172.78 million suppliers/partners and arranges b2b Piemonte supports such initiatives and I Euro. The industry mostly uses worsted meetings for its members. hope these journalists will highlight the and carded yarns for and During the visit to Biella, the excellence of the Piemonte textile knitwear, the district also specializes in international delegation also had a sector.” , , acrylic and . There meeting with Giuseppina De Santis the Other members of Regione Piemonte, are several woolen spinning mills; and Piedmont region councilor (Minister) for present at the event included Francesca there are many combing, and productive activities. She said that Cerrina from international affairs factories, that complete the Piedmonte Region has the fortune to department and Stefania Solitro, also part technologically advanced supply chain. have a strong and complete textile chain, of the Cabinet of the Presidency of the Piemonte Agency assists Italian and which starts from yarns through fabrics Regional Government (International international companies in bringing their upto highest quality finished garments. Affairs Department). Patritiza Ludi, high quality investment in Piemonte and This excellent heritage of manufacturing manager from Centro Estero per provides support at every stage of the and skills in the industry is enriched by I’Internazionalizzazione was also present project as well as aftercare activities. In generations of entrepreneurs that often during the visits and meetings. She is this context, this foreign delegation has reflect in their family stories. responsible for building, design, textile been invited to Piemonte in collaboration Giuseppina De Santis from the and jewelry sectors within the Tornio with Unione Industriale Biellese. The Ministry for Production of Regione region. Francesca Carletto responsible for Piemonte Textile Excellence, a project by Piemonte further elaborated, “Piemonte Design and Textile from Centro Estero per Regione Piemonte & Unioncamere I’Internazionalizzazione was also present Piemonte, which is also promoted by along with Patritiza Ludi. Piemonte and Valle d’Aosta Chambers of Piemonte Agency based in Torino, Commerce. The Piemonte Textile Italy, is the one stop shop to get in touch Excellence project provides foreign buyers and make business with a region rich in and journalists with a preferential channel opportunities, excellence, innovation and to meet top class companies of the textile competitiveness. and textile machinery industries. These

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affects spinning mills positively creating a The Italian industry in 2013 growth of 7% in the production of yarns (Million of Euro at current value) in the first six months of 2014. Turnover 2,979 A favorable economic trend is also Exports 898 confirmed by SMI analysis of ISTAT data, Imports 831 which reports an increase of 2.4% in the Trade Balance 67 exports of Italian yarns between January and March 2014. Another sign that this Apparent 1.81 Consumption should be a good year for the textile – Export/Turnover 30.1% fashion system is given by the data from Monitor of Districts Intesa San Paolo: in In the subdivision by sectors, in 2013 Tuscany, which reports that in the first woollen yarns contributed 82.3% to the half of the year the Arezzo district overall turnover; cotton yarns 15.1% and yarns 2.6%. increased exports by 20.8%, and the N.B.: The data given here has been col- Prato district by 11.3%. In the same exports grow by 6%, with Europe lected from Smi-Sistema Moda Italia; period the Crema textile sector growing by 10.4%, while exports to non- Monitor of Districts Intesa San Paolo. registered an increase of 9%, and Biella EU countries amounted to 1.1%. With increased exports by 4.7%. the exception of cotton textiles, that Piemonte Textile Excellence, an As for the target markets, the EU show a decline of 1% growth is reported integrated supply chain project (Pif) countries take up 67.8 % of Italian yarns in all the product sectors that make up managed by Ceipiemonte on behalf of exports (value) with an increase of 6.1% the Italian textile industry. Regione Piemonte, Unioncamere recorded in the first half of the year. Within the European market, exports Piemonte and Piemonte and Valle Germany, Romania and France are the to Romania (+20.2%), Spain (+16.2%), d’Aosta Chambers of Commerce, who buying countries for the Italian yarns. Portugal (+15.2%), Poland (+25%) and also organized this educational tour. The Ranking fourth is Hong Kong (first of the Bulgaria (+20.5%) showed strong main objective of Piemonte Textile non EU countries), followed by the UK growth. In the rest of Europe, except for Excellence team is to assist the regional and Turkey. The yarns imported to Italy the United Kingdom (+5.1%). There is companies of the textile and textile mainly come from China, Germany, more stability compared to previous machinery sector in expanding Turkey, Romania, Bulgaria and India. exports data towards more traditional international markets. The invitation for 2014 looks positive thanks to exports. markets, in particular Germany and the delegation was organized in Foreign markets still the main resource? France, which are nonetheless significant collaboration with Unione Industriale because of the volume and the value of The exports and imports of Italian Biellese. their purchases. Italian textile-fashion industry textiles in the first quarter of 2014 confirms, in fact, the reversal of negative Among the non-EU countries, the good news comes mainly from the USA According to Sistema Moda Italia trends recorded in 2013. There are signs (+16%), while China and Hong Kong (Italian Fashion System) in 2014 a return of recovery in Europe and the United show a decline (-5.5% and -3.3% to a positive growth is shown for the States, while the economies of the Far respectively). Japan is also showing a textile-fashion industry, which accounts East and Japan are slowing down. The negative trend (-11.1%). The growth of for an increase of 3.6% for a total sector has reacted by innovating and imports (+10%) should also be noted, turnover of more than 52.50 billion investing. The market was thereby able to indicating some recovery in domestic Euros. The growth involves all sectors of reduce the loss of overall turnover and demand. In the lead, in order of the production chain, upstream (+3.1%) significantly increase the total value of importance are China (+6.6%) and and downstream (+4.2%). The first exports at the Turkey (+15.3%), which alone actual data in 2014 refers to weaving and same time and it account for 50% of the total value reports a production growth by 9% in the is now ready to of imports during this period. The period January-March, and a further seize the new growth in imports from Pakistan increase of 6% between April and June. opportunities. (+28.7%), which came in the third The exports of fabrics are also increasing: As for place among the countries from almost 4.2% increase in the first four weaving, in the which we buy fabrics, as a result of months of the year. The good period in the GSP Plus status is also noted. performance of the weaving sector question, total

Giuseppina De Santis from the Ministry for Production of Regione Piemonte.

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